The Taste of Ink
by Les Reves Doux
Summary: "Is it worth it?" she murmured against his throat. "Can you even hear me?" Jasper and Bella are suddenly standing under the spotlight of their betrayal. They could care less, because they're ready to be free. Will the chains of their former loves let them?
1. It Ends Tonight

_Well, as promised, here is the rewritten first chapter. I know that I've been working on this story for about four years now, but I really want it to be as great as I envisioned. I tried to add more details to this first chapter, and would love to know if I've done a good job. So, please, read and review._

It Ends Tonight

Twilight was fast approaching; the sunset was shot through with brilliant reds and subdued purples. I vaguely wondered how I had never appreciated such beauty before, but then remembered that I spent my days in the company of immortals. They were unchanging in their youth and perfection, but never dull to look at. How could a sunset compare?

Glancing to the left, my gaze fell upon Edward. He had taken me out on a date earlier in the day, to the bookstore of all places. Now, he stood next to me as we leaned against his car, watching the sunset. I studied the profile of his flawless face, recommitted the curve of his jaw to memory and distantly admired the way his eyelashes brushed high cheekbones. Without my permission, his features morphed into ones more leonine. My brow furrowed in concentration as I tried to remember when precisely I stopped finding Edward to be the most beautiful part of my world, and began wishing he was someone else.

"Bella. Love, what's the matter?" he questioned me from far away. I blinked up at him and found that he looked like himself again; only he could wear that particular mix of exasperation and concern.

Clearing my throat, I replied with, "It's nothing, Edward. I'm just admiring the view; it's stunning. The sunset isn't too bad, either."

Edward let out a gorgeous laugh, but it still wasn't the one that brought a smile to my lips. He leaned in for a kiss and, not for the first time in recent months, I pushed him away. I almost felt guilty for being the reason he looked so wounded, but then I recalled that he had made me feel much worse.

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" he inquired softly, looking me squarely in the eye. I didn't answer him right away; what could I say? Everything was wrong, had been for so long, and it was his entire fault. But, of course, I couldn't blurt that out, so I said instead:

"You worry too much, Edward." My words, in no way, indicated that I wanted to continue in that vein of conversation. "Can we go home now? Esme said that she would be bringing Italian from Port Angeles for my dinner tonight."

Although he looked like he wanted to ask more questions, I'm sure that Edward could tell by the set of my mouth that I wouldn't have it. So instead, he held the door open for me and gestured for me to get in. I muttered my thanks and tumbled into the passenger seat. He was on his side and behind the wheel faster than my weak, human eyes could comprehend.

The car rumbled to life beneath us as he turned the engine over and pulled off at a speed much higher than the speed limit. I was used to his fast driving at that point, and merely buckled my seatbelt before turning my attention to the window. The scenery whipped past at a pace too high to discern anything, but it was preferable to looking at him.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Edward fiddling with the iPod hooked up to the radio, but I thought nothing of it. I was unprepared, then, for "Claire de Lune" to start playing. A jagged gasp escaped me as pain jolted through my chest; I had forgotten I could feel this way about him. My gaze flickered to Edward and I saw that he looked almost angry; his jaw clenched and hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly, it cracked.

"Bella, if I asked you a question, would you be honest with me?"

I didn't miss a beat.

"Haven't I always been, Edward?"

He ignored my question, seeming to be far from being reassured. "What are you hiding from me, Isabella?"

Briefly, I let shock color my features. It wasn't just the question itself, but that he was being so formal. He hadn't called me Isabella in well over a year as he only addressed me as such when he was really upset. I quickly schooled my face into a blank mask, like I had watched him do so many times with me.

"I'm not hiding anything from you. What gave you that idea?" I was genuinely curious as to what inspired such a question. However, he didn't respond and simply sped up.

Shrugging, I turned my gaze back the window and noticed that we were almost home; I could see the ocean. During the last few minutes of the drive, my mind was racing with the possible implications of Edward's suspicions. He couldn't possibly know, right?

Once we had pulled up in front of the house, I had my seatbelt off and was out of the car before Edward could be bothered to assist me. My march across the yard was much too fast for my clumsy tendencies, but I couldn't handle any more confrontation from Edward. I wasn't as infallible as an immortal; eventually, something would slip out and I would ruin everything.

"Bella Bear!" Emmett's booming voice rang out, causing me to jump. My big brother's massive form appeared before me and he swept me up into his arms. "Edward has been keeping you to himself all day, baby sister. It's time we had some serious bonding time."

"Video games?" I inquired with a bright smile.

"Video games."

Emmett threw me over his shoulder and jogged to the house at a human pace. Meanwhile, I giggled, thrashed, and demanded that he put me down, but not really meaning it. It had been weeks since I had any reason to smile, so I was hesitant to put an end to it. Still, once Emmett placed me on the couch and began to tickle my sides mercilessly, I shrieked out a plea for him to stop.

"Emmett, you're being too rough." Edward admonished from somewhere behind us.

Immediately, I was released from the pseudo-torture and Emmett was sitting in the recliner across from me, wearing an innocent expression. I sat up and turned to fix Edward with what I hoped was a withering glare.

"We were just playing, Edward. And besides, what would you know about 'too rough'? You hardly ever touch me," I grumbled indignantly. Huffing, I hopped up from the couch and strode past an apparently shocked Edward and marched into the kitchen. Emmett followed closely behind me, chuckling under his breath about hormonal teenagers.

Perched at the kitchen island were Alice and Esme; they seemed to be chatting about the remodeling of a new property of theirs. They both turned their heads in my direction upon my entrance and smiled brightly in greeting. Esme glided over to me immediately and pulled me into a gentle hug.

"I put your dinner in the oven to keep it warm. I hope you like penne pasta with vodka sauce. The chef assured me that there would be no harm in you actually drinking it," my surrogate mother informed me, her voice reassuring.

"Wouldn't want to send me home to the Chief drunk, now would we?" I joked warmly as I moved over to the oven.

Once I had retrieved my food and gotten situated at the kitchen island, I finally noticed that something was off about Alice. I forked a bit of pasta into my mouth and chewed it slowly as I watched her conversing with Emmett about the pros and cons of getting me drunk. She seemed to be much more excited than usual, almost anxious or jittery. I knew that she only got this way when she was anticipating the fruition of a more desired outcome of one of her visions. A not unfamiliar trickle of foreboding dripped down my spine and suddenly, I was not so hungry.

"Bella, is something wrong?" Alice's saccharine voice floated over to me across the counter, interrupting my musings. I look up to see her focused on me, with a seemingly innocent smile. However, _he_ had taught me how to see through people's bullshit; even that of immortals.

It was unsettling, the way that Alice was behaving. It made me feel uneasy and I suddenly couldn't stand to be in the kitchen any long. Setting my fork down, I stood and made strides toward the kitchen door.

"I'll be back; I need to use the bathroom." I informed Esme in passing. Alice's words next words, so softly spoken, left my ears ringing.

"Going to find Jasper, Bella?"

I froze in my tracks, hand reached out to push the door open. Slowly, I turned to stare at her and knew that my face betrayed the absolute shock that I felt. How could she have known that I had decided to go find Jasper? The only way she could have was if she had seen the cause of my decision in a vision. My brow furrowed as I turned to face her fully and frowned.

"You've been watching for both of us." I didn't mean to speak my thought aloud, per se, but it made no difference. Nothing much mattered anymore because every carefully woven lie was coming undone.

An almost feral smile curved Alice's lips and she opened her mouth to retort, but then her focus shifted to something over my shoulder. I quickly turned around to see what had stolen her attention and almost felt my heart fail in my chest. Standing directly behind me was Edward, his expression reflecting the blackest fury. I had never seen him look more like a vampire than he did in that moment and, for the first time, I was afraid of him.

"What do you mean, Alice?" Edward snarled through gritted teeth. His posture was hostile, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.

I blinked up at Edward in confusion and fear, not being privy to the other's as he was. My gaze shifted between him and Alice, looking for an explanation. Alice looked just as terrified as I did, if not more so and that alone worried me.

"Edward, what is-?" I began but when he looked at me, the words died in my throat. His eyes, black with rage, they contained so much hurt and betrayal that I couldn't breathe. Shakily, I backed several steps away from him until I bumped into something hard. A steadying hand was placed on my shoulder, and without turning around, I knew that it was _him._

"Jasper,"

Relief spread through me, originating from where his body touched mine. I sighed his name as if it were a prayer, or more accurately, as if he were my salvation. However, when Edward snarled the my own name in the next breath, he spat it out as if was a curse upon him. In a way, it was.

"Bella, how could you do this?" my former love demanded.

For a long moment, I did not answer him or even give an indication that I had heard him speak. It felt as if my mind was unweaving, but also a tremendous weight was lifted from my shoulders. For months, it was like Edward and I were waging a cold war; neither of us was willing to bend or break, but there was no cease-fire called. That night, I was to give the final blow.

Strangely enough, in that moment, I recalled a conversation that Jasper and I had had at the very beginning. He had been driving me home from school because my truck had "broken down", but really I was an excuse to steal a few kisses before Edward came over. I had been thinking about what we were doing and the guilt ate at me.

When Jasper pulled up to the front of my house, I swiftly attacked his lips with enough force to bruise my own, but I didn't care. I eventually pulled away and we were both gasping for air, although only one of us needed it. The next words out of my mouth were abrupt and certainly caught him off guard, but I meant them.

"Maybe it's best you leave me alone."

As I stood in the innocuous kitchen of the Cullen home, how I wished Jasper had heeded my words that day. That was not how I had wanted things to turn out; I didn't want anyone to get hurt. I was so naïve and foolish to think that we could make it out unscathed.

"It ends tonight." I murmured to the room in general. I sounded every bit the helpless lamb that I was.

_I really hope that this was an improvement from the first two times I tried to begin this story. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and I hope you can also find the time to review, as well!_


	2. Liar It Takes One to Know One

_Wow, I am humbled and awed by the response I received for last chapter. Thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed; you all are my inspiration to keep writing. I'm terribly sorry that this was a wee bit late!_

_ This chapter, everything is coming to light, for the most part. One of the reviews questioned why Alice would allow Jasper and Bella to carry on an affair. That will also be answered in this chapter. It will still be from Bella's point of view. There might be a tiny bit of humor in this chapter. I can't let it all be angst._

_ Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any character associated with it. Stephenie Meyer does. Now, on with the story!_

Liar (It Takes One to Know One)

For me to have been dreading that moment as long as I had been, my reaction was relatively calm. All of our secrets, Jasper's and mine, were tailored trouble. I actually felt relieved; there was no need to lie and omit anymore.

Reaching up, I placed my hand over Jasper's where it rested on my shoulder. He returned the pressure and sent me a wave of tranquility that wasn't necessary. I looked up and over my shoulder to smile at him reassuringly but, his attention was elsewhere. Following his line of sight, I saw that his gaze was trained on Edward.

Plainly written across Edward's face was a pain so intense, it made the breath catch in my chest. His teeth were clenched so tightly, I thought that they might crack under the pressure. If it were possible, I knew that he would have cried. It had been selfish of me to hope that I would not have to witness his pain so closely. At first, I had wanted him to feel the misery I had endured for months, but I didn't want to destroy him. In that moment, he looked very close to shaking apart.

"Alice," Jasper murmured, speaking for the first time. "I would imagine that you play a significant part in this situation. Care to explain what that is?"

Having been so focused on Edward, I had forgotten about Alice and her odd behavior just prior to the fallout. Again, confusion plagued me; why would Jasper think her involved in any way? I stepped out of the protective hold Jasper had on me and turned to face Alice.

"You're taking this awfully well." I informed her, my voice casual.

"How exactly did you expect me to take my best friend sleeping with my husband?" Alice shot back. She folded her arms over her thin chest and shifted her weight in a nervous manner.

Instead of reacting to her anger, I chose to study Alice closely. The excitement that she exuded earlier was noticeably absent; things were not going the way she had hoped. It was confusing to me. I gathered that she had known about me and Jasper. So, why hadn't she said anything prior to today?

"You've always know, haven't you?" was my quiet answer. "But you chose to keep it to yourself. Why?"

Edward chose that moment to address me for the first time since he entered the kitchen. "What about you? Don't you have some explaining to do yourself, Bella?" he growled.

Now, his anger was something I could not handle. I accepted that I was the cause of it, and believed that, on some level, that I deserved it. Still, there was no amount of preparation that could have made me ready to deal with the pain and accusation in his voice. It tasted like acid in the back of my throat and I couldn't stomach it.

"What do you want me to say, Edward? I think it's fairly obvious what's been going on. Alice, however, has plenty to say on the matter. Isn't that right, Alice?"

My words came out cold and indifferent, and I'm sure that's how I looked to him. It was the only way I could shield myself from the creeping feeling of panic and guilt threatening to pull me under. I had always been weak in that way.

Jasper, probably sensing my tumultuous emotions, reached out and took my hand. I calmed down immediately, not because of his empathy, but because his touch always soothed me. I gave him a grateful smile before turning back to Alice.

"Care to fill in the blanks?" I asked her, arching an eyebrow in my best imitation of Rosalie.

Alice regarded me for a long moment, her brow furrowed in obvious contemplation. She seem to come to some sort of decision, and from the look on her face, I wasn't going to like what she had to say.

"I suppose that I should start at the beginning. It won't make sense otherwise." Alice took a deep breath and then looked me directly in the eyes. "Jasper and I were never meant for each other. When I found him all those years ago, I knew that I was destined to bring him out of the depression that had plagued him for years. I had seen that he was meant for another, but I still grew to love him.

When we finally found the Cullens, I had another vision. It was of Edward and I, together and in love. I was shocked, to say the least. For once, I didn't know what to do with a vision and just decided to let things run their course. Jasper and I continued on with our marriage and we were happy. That was, until Bella tripped her way into our lives."

The fond smile that graced Alice's otherwise solemn face threw me. One would think it would have been the bit about her and Jasper not actually being soul mates, or that she and Edward were apparently meant to be. Nope.

"Guess I threw a wrench in your vision, huh?" I asked wryly.

"Actually, that was not the case. Whenever I would search the future to see if your relationship with Edward changed anything, the end result was still the same." Alice laughed hollowly. She turned her focus to Edward and smiled at him uncertainly. "I thought that I could be content with Jasper for eternity, you know? But, it was always you, Edward."

You could have heard a pin drop from ten blocks over after Alice finished speaking. I'm almost certain that my mouth was gaping like a fish out of water, but what else could I do? Nothing she was saying made sense but, at the same time, it explained everything.

"This is utter insanity. I can't even," I mumbled to myself. Jasper chuckled and I swung around to look at him in disbelief. "In what universe is this humorous? I feel like I'm on the supernatural version of Jerry Springer." Shaking my head, I looked back to Alice and frowned. "How long have you known about Jasper and I?"

"I saw it two months ago," she answered softly, her eyes locked with mine. "As you might recall, Rosalie and I had gone to Los Angeles to go catch the summer sales on Rodeo Drive. I had been looking through the Versace section when it happened. No vision of mine had ever been clearer."

The pause Alice took was agonizing, because I knew what she had seen. I remembered the trip she and Rose had taken, as I had vehemently declined accompanying them. More vividly, I recalled what occurred the day after they left. Apparently, Alice was aware that I knew because her eyes hardened as she continued her story.

"Almost as if it were happening right in front of me, I saw Jasper embracing Bella. His mouth was pressed to her throat, and for one awful moment, I thought that he was killing her. But, then I heard Bella make a less than distressed noise, and I knew what I was really seeing."

I almost wanted to beg her to stop right then. However, I was still perplexed as to why she allowed us to continue what we started right under everyone's noses. Why hadn't she done anything to prevent her vision from coming true? Well, let me tell you, she certainly answered my question, and I most certainly did not like it.

"To make a long story short, I then knew that Jasper was going to cheat on me," she continued abruptly. "I suppose that I should have been angrier that my husband was going to cheat on me. Even though he and I weren't soul mates, we had still taken vows, you know? But, I thought about it and figured that it would be for the best."

"And why is that?" Jasper inquired, looking more than a bit perplexed.

"I already knew that Edward was eventually meant for me and I for him. Despite the initial hurt I felt upon seeing your unfaithfulness, I understood that this was the easiest course to getting my happily ever after," Alice explained. Her expression was blank and voice neutral, but I could see in the depth of her eyes a certain determination.

"Why didn't you just tell me the truth?" Jasper questioned sharply.

"You could have admitted that you were carrying on an affair with my best friend. When did you become a liar?" Alice's retorted quietly.

"It takes one to know one!" Jasper snarled, letting his calm façade slip. It had been awhile since he'd shown that much emotion in my presence.

"If we're keeping score," Edward ground out, still barely containing his anger.

"Stop this, please?" Esme pleaded softly, sounding close to tears. It was the first time she had spoken and the desperate edge to her voice cut me deeply.

For several long moments, my breathing was all that could be heard. The silence was finally broken by the abrupt scraping of a chair against the marble floors and the swish of the kitchen door. I guess Emmett couldn't take it anymore.

Esme sighed shakily and whispered, "I know that I treat you all like children at times, but you're adults and there are consequences to your actions. You will sort this out amongst yourselves. I won't allow this nonsense to tear our family apart." With those parting words, she too made her escape.

I slid my gaze back to Alice and found an almost smug little smirk curving her lips. A strange sort of anger came over me; I was shaking like Jake did whenever Paul pissed him off. Some bitchy, little voice in the back of my head told me I had no right to be upset. I told it to shut the fuck up.

"Do you feel no remorse? You kept this all to yourself while I spent months agonizing over how I was going to tell him. You have no idea the guilt I felt every time he kissed me, every time I heard our song!" I screamed at her. Jasper placed a restraining hand on my shoulder but, I shrugged it off. I wanted to be angry because I was so terribly tired of the sickening guilt I had been carrying around for weeks.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, eyes glistening with tears she could never shed. "Can you really blame me? All I wanted was to be happy for once, okay? Jasper, you found your mate. Why shouldn't I?"

And I was crying, too, I realized. I could see a very near ending to a friendship I thought would last eternity. Half of it was my fault, I knew. But, deceit is deceit, and her lies wounded me deeper than I could ever put in words. I wasn't strong enough to face it then, so I decided to tuck the agony in its own little drawer, in the back of my heart.

Weighed down with consequence, I turned my back on my best friend. "Well, you can be happy without me in your life, can't you, Alice?"

Looking at neither Jasper nor Edward, I tucked my figurative tail between my legs and escaped out of the kitchen door. What can I say? I'm an addict for dramatics. I confuse the two for love.

_You guys, I gotta tell you. I rewrote this chapter about three times and it still doesn't feel right to me. But, seeing as I was already late posting it, I did the best I could and let it go. The next chapter will hopefully get better_


	3. Almost Lover

_Surprise! Two chapters in one day! I decided to go ahead and edit this one and post it as a treat for chapter two being kind of "eh"._

_This chapter will be from Edward's point of view, as he was conspicuously silent in the last chapter. Hopefully, this will give a lot of much needed insight into how he's handling the series of revelations. Well, enjoy and please review!_

Almost Lover

No matter how loudly they bickered and argued, their words sounded like the beating of hummingbird wings compared to the roar that filled my ears. I had never felt such rage and sorrow before in my life, and yet I was almost paralyzed by it. A part of my mind acknowledged Bella leaving but, I still could not move, even to stop her.

"Well, that went well." Jasper muttered sarcastically. The sound of his voice sparked a wild sort of feeling within me and snapped me out of my state of shock.

"Jasper," I managed to gnash out between clenched teeth. He and Alice both visibly stiffened and turned in unison to face me.

"Yes, Edward?" he replied coolly. His lack of response to my evident anger confused me. How could he be so calm when he could feel the murderous intent rolling off me in waves?

Alice must have seen me make the decision to lunge at him because she swiftly stepped between us. She hesitantly reached out to me, and I cringed away. I could hear in her mind how much that hurt, but I could not bring myself to care. Her comfort was the last thing I needed or wanted at that moment.

"Edward, please don't fight," Alice pleaded with me softly. "If you have to be mad at someone, be mad at me. I'm so sorry, and I-"

"What, Alice? Huh?" I yelled at her. "You lied to me for decades and then helped the woman I love lie to me, too. There is no amount of apologies that can make that okay!"

"What would you have had me do, Edward? Do you honestly think I would destroy my only chance at happiness? You should know by now that I am not nearly so selfless." Alice laughed hollowly. "I was so damn tired of pretending that my feelings for you were that of a sister's. And you're right; nothing could possibly excuse what I've done. I regret a lot of things that I've done, including this, but I'll never apologize for loving you."

Her words stunned me, to say the least. I could see within her thoughts that she meant them and that she really was sorry. But, she was asking much too much of me. I couldn't handle Bella and Jasper's betrayal or the intensity of Alice's apparent love. It was all too much for me to take at once, so I ran.

The only place I could think to escape to was the woods behind our home, where I could be alone and take my rage out on the trees. Of course, nothing ever worked in my favor and the minute I set foot out the back door, there she was. Bella. She stood with her back to me near the forest's edge, arms wrapped around her torso.

I couldn't tell exactly what I felt in that moment as I gazed at the girl I loved. She looked so ethereal standing there under the dim afternoon light. Mahogany hair shimmered and contrasted starkly with alabaster flesh. I had always said she lived up to her name.

"Hello Edward," she murmured to me, her voice drifting over to me easily. Had she always sounded that sad? Why had I never noticed?

For a very long moment, I found that I had nothing to say in return. Besides, what could I have said that would have been remotely sufficient in conveying the depth of my pain? But, I had to start somewhere.

"Hello Bella," was my quiet reply. My voice sound steadier than I felt standing there in her presence.

She shifted her body twenty degrees and titled her head in my direction. I thought she hadn't heard my soft greeting, so I opened my mouth to repeat it, but her chiming voice cut me off.

"So, let me have it." Bella sighed, unfolding her arms and letting them fall limply to her sides.

Her words shocked me; I expected her to behave defensively, as she had done with Alice. Instead, here she was, practically giving me permission to berate her and I couldn't do it.

Don't get me wrong; I wanted so badly to let her feel my anger, my agony. I wasn't so blinded by my love for her to not be able to look at her betrayal objectively. Bella had an ongoing affair with my brother behind my back, with seemingly no thought to how much it would hurt me. And, trust me, it hurt so fucking much.

"Going to keep me in suspense, then?" she laughed mirthlessly when I did not respond immediately.

"What are you talking about?" I snapped back, my voice very close to being a growl. The rest of my words slipped out before I could rein them in. "What do you expect me to say? Do you want me to call you hurtful names, degrade you and make you feel like the harlot you are?"

Bella visible cringed and placed a small hand over her stomach, as if my harsh words had physically pierced her. Slowly, she turned to face me completely; the misery her eyes held was staggering. It had not even crossed my mind that she could be feeling anything close to what I was.

"Do you think I enjoyed hurting you that way?" she whispered brokenly, cocking her head to the side. It was as if she was expecting an answer. So, I gave her the most honest one I could muster.

"Hurt? You think it's something as trivial as that? You've ripped my heart out, Bella." I yelled, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. And then I asked the question that had been burning on my tongue.

"How could you do this to me?" The question came out desperately, lacking the heat of my previous sentences. And in truth, I was so very desperate to know what I could have done to make her seek out another. "You are everything I've always wanted and I thought I was the same for you."

For the longest time, Bella was quiet, her eyes boring into my own. She seemed to be choosing her next words with care. I couldn't help thinking that it didn't matter what she said; it would do nothing to soothe me.

"You weren't satisfying me," she abruptly stated, looking away from me for the first time. "For months, I practically threw myself at you, begging for intimacy. You kept going on and on about how you wanted me to experience all there was to as a human. I guess you weren't human long enough to realize that sex is a pretty crucial part of being human. I was so hurt and frustrated by your constant rejection that I seriously reconsidered marrying you."

She was aiming to be cruel, taking the same approach I had when I first left her. But, she was right; I hadn't considered how I was making her feel because I thought I was doing what was best for her. The only thing I had cared about was the very real possibility of me snapping her in half with one thrust.

"Jasper gave me what you didn't," Bella continued, still not meeting my gaze. "At first, we were just fulfilling the other's physical needs. There were no feelings involved; I understood that he was still married to Alice and I didn't want to break the family apart. But after a couple of months, things changed between us. Gradually, it went from quick fucks during your hunting trips to actually wanting to spend time just being together. I had fallen in love with him."

"Please stop." I begged her, shaking my head emphatically. "I don't want to hear about how little you cared." Even to my own ears, I sounded pathetic.

"Edward, don't think for a moment that I didn't agonize over every single lie I told," she snapped. Her pretty face scrunched up into a snarl and it almost made me laugh; she was about as intimidating as a wet kitten. "This wasn't the way you were supposed to find out, okay? We were going to tell you when the threat of the Volturi wasn't looming over our heads."

"I thought that I made you happy," I gritted out. I was just barely able to continue speaking to her without falling to pieces.

"You used to, Edward," she replied simply, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly.

"Then I can do so again. Please, just give me another chance."

"No, I can't do that. I don't love you the way I used to. I know it's hurting you, but it's killing me."

Dropping to my knees, I gripped at my hair tightly and, for the first time in decades, I cried. Jagged sobs wrenched from the depths of my heart passed through my clenched teeth. Though I could never shed tears again, I saw my vision blur.

Vaguely, I was aware of Bella approaching me, and then of her placing her tiny, warm hand on my shoulder. If she thought that would soothe my agony, she was so very wrong. It felt like I was shaking apart and only the touch of her hand was keeping me together.

She knelt down in front of me and then placed both hands over mine. Gently, she tugged on them until I released the hold I had on my hair but she did not let go of my hands. I looked up at her in confusion, not understanding her actions. At first, her gaze was stern and unyielding as she studied my face but, then her expression softened and she smiled at me.

"I never want to see you unhappy," Bella crooned to me. "I thought you'd want the same for me."

_There you have it! I know this chapter was a bit shorter than the previous two, but that was because I meant it to be short and sweet. I really hope you all enjoyed it regardless, though!_

_Also, if anyone can spot the Avenged Sevenfold lyric in this chapter and tell me the song it comes from, send me a PM with the answer and I will write you a Twilight one shot of the pairing of their choosing!_

_Please remember to review!_


	4. I Don't Love You

_Thank you all so much for the follows and favorites, and a special thank you to those who reviewed the last chapter! It really brought a smile to my face._

_I'm sure some of you want to know what's going on in Alice's mind during this whole debacle. So, I've written this chapter from Alice's point of view and I hope it clears some things up. Enjoy and review!_

I Don't Love You

I stared at the kitchen door for several minutes after Edward had passed through it. Of course he had run right to her, pleading with her to reconsider the choice she had made months ago. It had occurred to me that my words would fall on deaf ears but, I had hope that he could at least see that she didn't and would never love him again. Not like I would.

But, was it fair that I judge Bella so harshly when I had essentially facilitated her affair with my husband? I had been waiting on the sidelines, biding my time until she or he slipped up and I could claim Edward for myself. But, despite his love's infidelity, Edward wanted nothing to do with me. God, how had my life devolved into one of those trashy soap operas that Rosalie always watched?

The worst part had always been lying to Edward and keeping my thoughts away from Jasper and Bella was quite difficult. It had gotten to the point that I would mentally sing the National Anthem in Swahili or imagine Emmett naked, which was uncomfortable for the both of us. I was certain that Jasper was aware of my more than volatile emotional climate, and could feel the anger and anxiety wrapped around my like a shroud.

Thinking of Jasper, I recalled that he had been noticeably quiet during my confrontation with Bella and Edward. I turned my gaze in his direction and found myself studying his face. It was always appealing to me, all angles and leonine grace. And I had definitely loved him, too, for a time. So, why did the peace and ease evident on his face enrage me?

My vision became hazy and tinted with red and I entertained the idea of ripping his throat out with my teeth. He hadn't meant to hurt me, I knew it, but it still stung that I was worthy of the truth. We had spent decades together and I loved him enough to stick with him through all of his slip ups and subsequent breakdowns. Why didn't he love me back?

"You need to calm down and get control of yourself," Jasper murmured softly. His eyes were a soft, butterscotch color today and they held tenderness for me that I hadn't seen in weeks. And still, I could not let go of my rage.

"What would you know about control, Jasper?" I spat back at him. My fist clenched and unclenched at my sides as I itched to wrap them around his neck and throttle him. For a moment, the reckless thrill of impotent violent impulse shocked me; I had never been one for aggressiveness.

For the first time in a long while, Jasper actually looked ashamed. I felt a smug sense of satisfaction that I could invoked some sort of guilt in him. Of course, it could never compare to the ocean of abject misery and guilt that I had been drowning in for a while now. He would be coming out of this whole thing relatively unscathed and still have his soul mate. If Edward didn't forgive me, and he likely wouldn't, I would leave with nothing.

"I don't understand how you could be so self-destructive, Alice."

"And why do you still care, Jasper? I thought that once you had found your way between Bella's legs, any thought or care you may have had about me was forgotten."

Of course, I was aiming to wound him. He deserved to feel each jagged wound that tore through my chest whenever I saw them together and I was stuck adrift on a solitary island. Every word was plotted and designed to leave him standing on our bedroom window's ledge. And everyone else that it hits, that it gets to, is nothing more than collateral damage.

"Of course I still care about you," he ground out, running a hand through his hair. He was clearly frustrated, but anything he could have been feeling then was an anthill in comparison to the mountain of anguish weighing on my shoulders.

"How do I know that you're not just lying?" I retorted snarkily. "That's all we've both been doing for so long now and I don't know what's what at this point."

That was the last straw for him.

"What the fuck was I supposed to do?" Jasper roared. "You should know, more than anyone else, that I can't fake feelings. And I couldn't pretend that things between us were still the same."

His blatant of honesty did nothing to placate my rising anger. No matter how little love he may have had left for me, it didn't excuse the lies and infidelity. I had given Jasper the best years of my life, trusting him to love me and to be faithful.

"We took vows, Jasper! In that little chapel in East Texas, we stood in front of a pastor and swore to each other that we would be faithful and devoted to each other for eternity. Even though I knew that things weren't going to last for long with us, I _never _would have cheated."

My rant broke off as my breath caught in my chest and I trembled with the effort I exerted to not let myself cry. Without my permission, the first, gut wrenching sob shook its way from my throat. I no longer had the strength to stand under the heavy weight of my despair. What was the point in trying when there was clearly no happy ending for me?

It was then, in my moment of resignation, that I felt his arms around me. Oh, how familiar it was, but at the same time, so foreign. I couldn't even recall the last time he had held me so tenderly and with so much love.

"I meant those vows when I said them, darlin'. Me being with Bella doesn't change the fact that you're my best friend. I have loved you since the day I met you, and I always will." Jasper murmured softly. "I just don't love you like I loved you yesterday."

The truly messed up part was that I had convinced myself that I would be ready to let go of him when the time came. I had known the entire time that his heart no long belonged to me, and my eternity had certainly never been his. To hear him say that admit aloud that I wasn't the most important part of his life anymore hurt so much. But, I had to deal with it, right? So, I reigned in my pain, pushed it down, and hid it way to be dealt with another time.

I stepped backwards, out of Jasper's embrace, and allowed myself to miss him for a moment. It would really be the last time that he would hold me like that. I knew then that if I wanted the happiness that I was so desperate to obtain, I would have to be okay with that.

"When you go, don't ever think I'll make you try to stay," I whispered to him, laughing mirthlessly at our years old inside joke.

Jasper smiled the tiniest of smiles, and it really hit me that we finally over.

_A/N: Well, what did you all think? I was really hoping to portray Jasper and Alice's closure the way I had imagined it in my head, and I think I got it right. Please remember to review!_


	5. Disenchanted

_Special thank you to everyone who reviewed and followed last chapter! I really appreciate the encouragement!_

_With this chapter, we're switching back to Bella's point of view and really elaborating on her motivations for being unfaithful. I also made it a lot longer than the previous chapters, so I hope you all enjoy that. So, please enjoy and review!_

Disenchanted

The idea of not giving Edward what he wanted, what he claimed he needed, almost crippled me. Such was the dynamic of our relationship; he would ask of me something ridiculous, I would resist, and then he would eventually persuade me into agreement. It had taken me awhile, but I finally realized that our relationship was far from healthy.

I could never go back to the way things were with him. The lack of passion in his kisses, and the one sided lust that I suffered was insult enough. But, it had gotten to the point that I was beginning to doubt myself as a sexual being.

Edward's constant rejection made me feel so ugly and unwanted. Soon, it didn't matter how many times he told me I was beautiful, or that I looked really pretty in my new dress. This niggling voice in my head kept telling me that I was hideous and that Edward could never want to have sex with me. I was only a human: breakable and plain.

Eventually, I stopped trying to seduce my frigid, would-be lover. There was one particular instance that drove the final nail in the figurative coffin.

We were sitting on the couch in his bedroom, Edward and I. After a long day of hiking through the woods, he decided that I was tired and that we should return home. I didn't object because I figured that this was my chance to convince him premarital sex was a human experience I was very interested in.

Once I had eaten dinner and showered, I tucked myself into his side, and laid my head on his shoulder. He sang a song from his time as a human softly and stroked my hair, and I just sat there soaking in the rare show of physical affection. It was probably the most romantic thing we had done in weeks, but I was grateful for it. After about an hour of waiting, I seized my chance.

"Edward," I whispered to him, shifting ever so slightly. He automatically moved with me, so that we were still in a ridiculously appropriate position.

"Yes, love?" he inquired quietly. "What's on your mind?"

It still tickled me pink that he had to ask me such a human question. But, then was not the time to get my chuckles in. I was a sexually frustrated woman on a mission.

Swiftly, before he could hope to stop me, I sat up, threw my left leg over his own, and then plopped myself right on his lap. I was feeling much bolder than usual, and thus found the fortitude the grind and swivel my hips in what I could only hope was a seductive manner.

Edward was so caught off guard by my actions that he actually responded to my advances. His long, pale fingers moved swiftly to grab my hips and pulled me closer at the same time. I let out an audible gasp upon feeling his erection rub against my already dripping core.

"Isabella," he rasped out, tightening his hold on me. "What the hell are you doing?"

As a rule, Edward never swore at me and only used my full name whenever he was feeling kind of way. So, I knew he was really riled up, if his lapse of etiquette was any indication. His usually honey-toned eyes were nearly black with lust, and for the briefest moment, I felt desirable.

That is, until Edward had to go and ruin everything.

Before I could blink, Edward shoved me off of his lap. I fell to the floor so hard, it felt like I had smashed my tailbone. I cried out and rolled to my side, seeking to alleviate some of the pain.

"Gosh damn it, Edward!" I hissed at him through clenched teeth. "What the fuck is so wrong with me? Why don't you want me?"

I have no idea where my desperate words came from. Regardless, they seemed to have no sway over Edward, and he steadfastly ignored my questions.

"I need to leave," he ground out through clenched teeth. "Wait here and I'll send Alice to drive you home."

And without as much as a "good-bye" or an "I love you", he was gone. There I was, practically begging for him to take my virginity, and he left me lying on his bedroom floor, nursing a bruised tailbone and ego.

After that particular disaster, I stopped trying to seduce Edward. I had come to the conclusion that he didn't want me for physical companionship, but only for the mental silence I provided him with. So desperate was I to be loved by someone that I was perfectly okay with that.

We went on like that, for several weeks. Edward was happy that I had "finally seen things his way", and I was content with what little affection I could get from him. I was lucky if I even got a lingering hug. I had even resorted to pleasuring myself before Edward would come over so that I wouldn't be tempted to jump his bones. I knew he could smell my lingering arousal, and but he still behaved as if he was oblivious to my sexual frustration.

It was a couple of months after the failed seduction, and it was time for the family to go on another extended hunting trip. Unfortunately, Edward still deemed it necessary for one of them to stay behind with me, just in case Victoria decided to take advantage of their absence. So, Alice told Charlie some fib about us having a weekend long slumber party and that I would be back Sunday evening. I was sitting in the living room of the Cullen home, chit chatting with Alice about their plans.

"I'm sorry, but I can't stay with you again. It's been too long since I've fed properly, and I don't want to risk endangering you."

Alice's words made sense, but that didn't mean I had to be happy about the situation. If she couldn't babysit me, then that meant either Jasper or Emmett would be my guardian. Emmett would tease me with innuendo and force me to submit to hours of Call of Duty, and Jasper would avoid me like the plague. I was neglected enough by Edward when he was around; I didn't need that kind of treatment from any of the others.

"Well, then who will be staying behind with me this time?" I inquired quietly, already resigning myself to a miserable weekend.

"Jasper shall be your company for the weekend," Alice chirped cheerfully.

She mistook my chagrined expression for one of anxiety at the prospect of being alone with Jasper. Her eyes softened and she patted my hand reassuringly. "Jasper has gotten a lot better with his control, and as long as you don't go scrapping any knees, you should be fine."

When I still didn't seem reassured, Alice sighed and then said with a sly look, "Well, you can always come down to L.A. with us after our hunting trip for some shopping. There's a huge sale on Rodeo Drive and I want to outfit the whole family with some new clothes for the next season."

I blanched at the idea of shopping and quickly shook my head in denial. "Let's not take drastic measures, okay? I'm sure I can manage to survive a couple of days with Jasper."

Alice brightened at my suddenly positive outlook, and kissed my cheek before running out of the room, calling for her husband. I sighed softly; briefly jealous of the bond Alice clearly shared with Jasper. For almost two years, I had romanticized my relationship with Edward, thinking it would be just like theirs.

"Tsk, hardly." I scoffed under my breath, and rose from the couch. I stretched languidly and then wandered to the kitchen. Coincidently, the focus of my thoughts was there, leaning against the counter.

"Hello, Bella." Edward murmured to me, a smile gracing his seraphic features.

Instead of returning his greeting, I strolled right past Edward and made my way over to the refrigerator. Opening the double doors, I casually perused the fully stocked shelves, trying to decide what I wanted for lunch.

"Bella, is there something I've done wrong? You've barely spoken to me these past few days. Could we please talk?" Edward asked concernedly, moving closer to me.

I peeked from behind one of the doors and shot him a disbelieving glare. This only seemed to confuse him more, so I just shook my head and went back to my browsing. A moment later, I felt him lightly touch my shoulder. I brusquely shrug it off and slammed the fridge door shut.

"What?" I snarled quietly at him. "What do you want?"

Edward seemed taken aback for a moment before his face became a blank mask. I was so used to that reaction from him that it hardly concerned me. He had been closing me out more and more recently, and I couldn't be bothered to care.

"I just wanted to talk with you before we left." he murmured quietly, gazing steadily at me. "But, it seems that something else is on your mind."

Briefly, I considered answering him and unleashing all the hurt and loneliness I had been repressing for weeks. But then I thought that maybe he should get a dose of his own medicine. I could be cold and distant, too.

"No, there's nothing on my mind," I answered coolly. "And I don't especially feel like talking. Have a great time on your trip."

I stalked away before he could get another word in, and returned to the living room. Emmett was there, playing some new-fangled sports video game on the X-Box. Not in the mood to wrangle control of the television back from him, I settled in to watch him play for the next half an hour before they all left.

Speaking of Jasper, he chose that moment to glide down the staircase. He paused and turned his gaze towards me, and quirked an eyebrow. I knew that he could feel the waves of irritation and frustration that I was surely exuding. But, if he was confused about the tumultuousness of my emotions, he didn't let it show.

"Emmett," Jasper murmured smoothly. "Rosalie is looking for you."

"What does she want?" Emmett inquired absently, eyes still glued to the play he was orchestrating on the screen.

"Something about warming up before the hunting trip," Jasper replied nonchalantly, shifting his weight unnecessarily.

Emmett was out of his seat and up the stairs faster than I could blink. A quiet giggle escaped my lips; he was always so eager for sex. Unfortunately, that particular thought reminded me that I was suffering from a severe lack of it.

"Well, at least someone is getting laid." I muttered snidely and sunk further into the couch.

Again, Jasper stared at me questioningly, although I'm sure he heard me clear as day. He had actually begun to speak, but was interrupted by Carlisle and Esme sweeping into the room. His snapped his mouth shut and, after casting another look in my direction, left the way they had come.

"Bella, we came to say good-bye before we left for the weekend." Esme said to me, smiling softly. "Alice has just informed us that there will be some overcast in Los Angeles, and she would like to take us all shopping."

"Yeah, she told me." I replied neutrally, working to keep the grump out of my tone.

Shoving my way off the couch, I went to hug Esme good-bye. Just as I opened my arms to embrace her, she took a few hasty steps back. I am ashamed to admit how much the rejection of another member of the Cullen family hurt me. She saw how I was tearing up and swiftly apologized.

"Sweetheart, I don't think that I could handle having you that close with me being so thirsty. It's for your own protection."

Rationally, I understood that she had no way of knowing that her last words echoed painfully within my chest. That's what Edward had said to me every time he rebuffed my carnal advances.

"I know. Don't worry about it." I grumbled, and then made a quick escape upstairs to Carlisle's study. On the way up, I avoided Emmett and Rosalie's bedroom altogether, knowing what they were up to. My scowl deepened as I became mildly jealous that they were free to express their love in a way that I wasn't able to.

Once I reached the top floor, I stormed into Carlisle's study and slammed the door behind me. I looked around until I located his copy of Pride and Prejudice sitting on his red, velvet sofa. Snatching it up, I laid flat on the floor and picked up where I left off.

Hours passed as I read in solitude, and my ire at the unfairness of my intact virginity ebbed away. I probably would have stayed there until I fell asleep if it hadn't been for Jasper's interruption. He knocked quietly and then let himself into the room. I looked at him over my book and raised a single eyebrow.

"The others have left," he informed me without preamble. "If you would like to join me downstairs, I rented a couple of movies."

"What movies did you pick out?"

Jasper almost seemed to hesitate before admitting, "Superbad and Easy A. I don't know if you'll like them, but if not, I can go out and get some more."

"I love Superbad!" I exclaimed and scrambled into a standing position. Jasper actually looked startled at my sudden enthusiasm, and stepped to the side as I rushed past him in my haste to get downstairs. "Come on, Jasper!" I yelled over my shoulder.

After I stumbled a bit down the first flight of stairs, I slowed my roll and allowed Jasper to catch up. He fell in step beside me, and we both descended the stairs at a very human pace. It was quite unlike Jasper, because he only pretended to be normal when we were at school. He kept as much distance between us as possible but, that was no surprise. However, on the narrow staircase, there were only a few inches between us. Our arms brushed once or twice, and the sensation sent chills down my spine.

"I was hoping that I had picked out something you hadn't seen before," Jasper admitted to me once he put the movie in and we had taken our seats on the couch. He didn't sit as far away from me as I thought he would. I smiled privately to myself, thinking that he was finally becoming more comfortable around me.

"Don't worry about it." I eventually replied. "Besides, I haven't seen Easy A, if that's any consolation." Jasper didn't reply, but smiled vaguely and turned his attention to the screen.

For about an hour, we watched the movie in companionable silence. It had gotten to the part where McLovin was trying to buy the booze with his fake ID when my stomach let out a snarl. Jasper and I both jumped in alarm, and I covered my growling tummy with both hands.

"I suppose that I forgot to eat during my stint in solitary confinement." I muttered, blushing lightly.

I hopped up and hustled to the kitchen, intending to make a sandwich or something to hold me over. Quickly gathering up the necessary ingredients, I set about making my snack. When it came time to cut my sandwich in half, I couldn't find a knife. I opened the utensil drawer and started shifting shit around in there.

"Jasper," I called absently, still searching in the dark drawer. "Do you know if any places deliver this late?"

"No, but I can make you something later, if you like." he said quietly, right next to my ear. I startled and jerked away in alarm, and simultaneously felt something sharp prick my finger.

"Shit, ouch!" I exclaimed loudly, snatching my hand from the drawer. I stuck my bleeding finger in my mouth and sucked on it, hoping to ease the pain.

It wasn't until I heard Jasper's soft growl next to me that I remembered the company I was currently keeping. I turned terrified eyes towards him and looked him in the eye. He seemed to be working so hard to control himself but the look of hunger in his eyes couldn't be concealed.

"Jasper, are you okay?" He didn't respond; just screwed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw. Why wasn't he running away? "Look, I can leave if you need me to. I don't want you to be –."

With blinding speed, Jasper was on me, pressing me into the counter. A startled gasp escaped me and my brain ceased to function. I just knew, in that moment, that I was going to die. Instead of fighting, I closed my eyes and waited to feel his razor sharp teeth tear into my throat.

The pain never came. I dared to open my eyes and saw Jasper was staring back at me. His jaw was still clenched, but his ocher eyes were now hooded and dark. In another show of speed, he leaned in and pressed his face under my jaw. He drew in a deep breath, and it took me a moment to realize that he was sniffing me.

"J-Jasper, what are you doing?" I stuttered nervously. My hands acted of their own accord and shifted to push against his shoulders.

Again, he didn't answer me, but instead moved his grip and curled his strong fingers around my waist. Jasper pulled me flush against him, eliciting another gasp from me. I could feel that he was aroused; it was pressed into my hip and it was so thick.

"Isabella," he whispered against the suddenly overheat flesh of my throat. "Why do you keep doing these things to me?"

"I don't understand. What did I do?" I was frantic to rectify any mistake I had made to cause him to behave that way.

"This," Jasper snarled, moving his lips to the shell of my ear. To punctuate his meaning, he thrust his pelvis forward into mine and let me really feel his evident desire.

I was so stunned that I couldn't formulate a coherent response. My body, it seemed, was not nearly so incompetent, and reacted for me. My hips rocked back into his, and he hissed through clenched teeth and gripped my waist tighter.

Jasper took my ear lobe in between his teeth delicately, and then whispered huskily, "Bella, I've seen you moping around the house for months, shrouded in lust and frustration. It has driven me to the point of distraction. I can give you everything you've been craving. All you have to do is tell me that you want it."

I couldn't deny that what Jasper said was true; it was like I was a woman possessed. But, was that a road I willing to walk down with Jasper? Could I risk hurting Edward like that?

_A/N: I forgot to put this in the previous chapter, but if anyone can spot the Fall Out Boy lyrics in chapter 4 of this story, titled "_I Don't Love You",_ I will write you a Twilight one shot for you! Just send me your answer in a private message and I'll let you know if you're right!_

_Again, thank you for reading and please remember to review down below!_


	6. Alone Together

_Hello, faithful readers and welcome to the new ones! As I told the few who reviewed last chapter, this one took a bit longer due to me wanting to put as much detail in as possible._

_Special thank you to NatalieLynn for sticking with this story through three different versions! Many thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed last chapter!_

_This chapter will be from Jasper's point of view, picking up from where it left off last chapter. _

_Enjoy and please review!_

Alone Together

I watched her face closely for a reaction and tried not to let myself become distracted by the rose of her cheeks or flutter of her heartbeat. She seemed to be thinking very intensely about my offer, if the way she bit her lip was any indication. That was a distraction in and of itself; how I longed to pull that plump lip between my teeth…

"Bella," I growled softly, making her jump within my grasp. I allowed my hands to move slowly up her sides to rest on her ribcage, and used the leverage to pull her tight against my chest. She rewarded me by relaxing into my touch and pressing herself closer to me.

"Y-yes?" she stuttered out, looking away from me. On the surface, she looked as if she could scarcely bear to be in my presence, but she didn't so much as try to push me away. I reached out with my gift and I could practically taste her desire on my tongue. Another growl escaped me as I felt myself grow painfully hard.

"I need an answer. You want me, I can tell." I reminded her, brushing my nose against the column of her throat. The smell of her blood just beneath the surface of such breakable skin almost pushed me over the edge of restraint.

If asked, I would have been unable to pinpoint when, precisely, I had begun to see Isabella as more than just sheep amongst wolves. After the incident of her birthday, I made sure to avoid her as much as possible and always fed well before I had to babysit her. Then, she started spending more time at the house, and it was torture for the first few weeks. I eventually became accustomed to her scent and could see her as a human. So, I observed her.

When I watched her with Emmett, she was sarcastic, free, and adventurous. To see them joke together was the best; her laugh was always warm and sincere. And I could always tell when she and Edward argued because her nose would scrunch up and she would bare her teeth. At times, when she was sad, I knew that she would shut herself off in mine and Alice's room and listen to Etta James. Our bed would smell like her for days afterwards and I tried not to show how happy that made me.

"What if I say yes?" she hedged softly, snapping me out of my thoughts. She was attempting to delay giving a definite answer as she suffered through what appeared to be an internal, moral dilemma.

A low chuckle escaped me but, I declined to answer her with words. Instead, I brazenly pressed my cold tongue to her pulse point and then, ever so gently, sucked the flesh into my mouth. It shouldn't have hurt but, I knew it would leave a neon sign-like hickey. Her knees buckled as she let out a small moan, and her hands shot up to grip my shoulders.

"If you say yes," I informed her casually. "I can make you feel so very good. It will feel like you're dying, over and over again."

She shivered delicately in my arms and I could smell her arousal, and it went straight to my head. As she presumably thought over my offer, I took my time exploring the soft flesh of just under her jaw and the edge of her collarbones. It wasn't long before she was panting and gripping me tighter. I didn't even try to hide my victorious smirk.

"What about Alice?" Bella tried to rationalize. "Won't she find out?"

Pulling back slightly, I made sure she was looking me in the eye before speaking. "There are ways around Alice's gift. You know this and exploited it in Phoenix," I reminded her with a sardonic smile. "Besides, I won't tell if you don't."

"Why are you doing this?" she demanded softly. There was no infliction in her voice, but her eyebrows were angled downwards slightly. "I mean, what could you possibly stand to gain, Jasper?"

With a sigh, I released my hold on her and took a few steps back. I looked her over quickly and could tell that she was heavily conflicted. Her loyalty to Edward was admirable, but she and I both knew that her patience with him was wearing thin.

"Truthfully, I don't know exactly why I'm pursuing this," I gestured between her and myself. "Since you tripped your way into our lives, I've been all out of sorts. You have vexed me and intrigued me, sometimes all at once. I couldn't tell you the moment I realized I wanted you, but the feeling has not left me since.

I'm not asking that you make a decision tonight, or even tomorrow. I just want you to think about it. You're not sexually satisfied with Edward and I haven't been happy with Alice for a while now. I'm not saying that you should leave him for me, but there's no reason that you can't have your cake and eat it too."

Bella surprised me by letting a snort very reminiscent of Emmett. "That's one way to put it," she grumbled darkly. "I'm uncertain how to handle this whole situation, offer, or whatever _this _is. I think that I need some time to think this through?"

She posed it as a question, but I recognized it the plea it was. There was no helping the smirk that curved my lips as I sighed, "Why don't you sleep on it? We can discuss it at length tomorrow, if you would like."

There wasn't much I was unwilling to do, at that point, to get what I wanted. I figured that Bella was an errant itch I needed to scratch, so to speak. All I needed was to have her once to get her out of my system and it would be enough. How very wrong I was.

"Um, sure; we can talk tomorrow," she replied hesitantly, her tone still uncertain. "I guess I'll just go to bed now."

After casting a speculative glance in my direction, Bella quickly scuttled her way up the staircase. I listened to her stumble on the top step and catch herself on the banister before practically throwing herself into Edward's bedroom. Her heart was beating wildly, thudding against her ribcage as if it were attempting to escape. It gave me a smug sort of satisfaction to know that I had such an effect on her.

It took approximately five minutes for her heart rate to settle and another half an hour before she fell asleep. Glancing at the clock, I noted that it was almost midnight and figured Bella would be sleeping until at least eight in the morning. So, I let myself relax and leaned against the counter, for all of a second before I smelled the residual drop of Bella's blood. Immediately, it felt like flames had roared to life in the back of my throat.

'Hunting couldn't hurt the plans I have for tomorrow," I thought absently.

Using the back door, I took off into the forest, but remained within screaming distance of the house. I didn't want to take the chance of that bitch Victoria slipping past me and getting to Bella. Coming to an abrupt stop at the thought, I opened my senses further and reached out with my gift. The smaller critters were silent and hiding in the underbrush, wary of my unnatural presence. I could not taste any other emotions besides the dull, animalistic variety that usually plagued the forest.

My mind drifted back to Bella, as they often did in those days. She consumed all of thoughts, conscious or otherwise, and I often spent days attempting to unravel the mystery that was her mind. Sure, I could feel and distinguish her emotions just as well as I could anyone else, but I would never know the thoughts behind them.

I had been circling her for months, weighing the pros and cons of getting closer to her, if only as a brother or friend. Until coming to a decision, I had decided to maintain a distance and try to glean as much about her as I could from afar. The strain in her and Edward's relationship was hardly noticeable, at first. But, once it became evident that their undoing would be Bella's hormones and Edward's self-loathing, I became determined to exploit it.

If someone asked me what I wanted from Bella past what promised to be a good fuck and a bit of insight, I am uncertain if I would have an answer for them. She would have made a great friend, if Edward hadn't gotten in the way of that by insisting that I was too great of a danger to her. Unfortunately for him, I listened and gave up on that path, and instead sought to claim the part of her that he wasn't man enough to do.

With that last, happy little thought, I lunged at the deer I had been following and sunk my teeth in.

_A/N: Okay, you guys. To be honest, this chapter was much shorter than previous simply because I am unused to writing from Jasper's point of view, and also because I've had writer's block for days. So, I apologize most sincerely. _

_ Still, I hope everyone got some insight out of this chapter. Please review at the bottom!_


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